The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has announced a ten-year, $2 billion initiative aimed at advancing racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in science.

Through the initiative, HHMI will take steps to provide culturally aware mentorship, effective professional development, and inclusive community-building opportunities; expand its efforts to increase diversity and inclusion at every career stage in academic science; and deepen its commitment to equity and inclusion for the organization's administrative employees. With an initial focus on boosting the representation of racial/ethnic and gender groups that remain significantly underrepresented in the sciences, HHMI will work with scientists and grantees to foster an inclusive culture; place equity at the center of policies and practices in research, classroom, and administrative settings; and hold itself accountable to ensure responsibility and transparency.

To that end, HHMI will, among other things, increase investments in its Inclusive Excellence and Driving Change programs at colleges and universities; expand the Science Education Alliance program, which offers authentic research experiences for undergraduates; pair selected college graduates with HHMI Investigators or Janelia Group Leaders for research experiences of up to two years; establish a peer community of post-baccalaureate students, Gilliam Fellows, and Hanna Gray Fellows; provide additional resources to advisory reviewers of HHMI Investigators and Janelia Group Leaders on identifying and mitigating unconscious bias; and charge each HHMI vice president and chief with developing specific diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and regularly reporting progress.

"This is an exciting moment for the institute, with new programs and a commitment that is central to our mission of developing and supporting the very best minds focused on solving the most challenging and important biomedical questions," said HHMI board chair and Bowdoin College president Clayton Rose. "We know that we don't have all the answers, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with academic, philanthropic, and other leaders to share experiences, learn, and adapt as we seek to have sustained and lasting impact."

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